Governance and Legislation
Europe’s new digital diplomacy: From principles to power
(DigWatch – 11 June 2025) In a decisive geopolitical shift, the European Union has unveiled its 2025 International Digital Strategy, signalling a turn from a values-first diplomacy to a focus on security and competitiveness. As Jovan Kurbalija explains in his blog post titled ‘EU Digital Diplomacy: Geopolitical shift from focus on values to economic security‘, the EU is no longer simply exporting its regulatory ideals — often referred to as the ‘Brussels effect’ — but is now positioning digital technology as central to its economic and geopolitical resilience. – https://dig.watch/updates/europes-new-digital-diplomacy-from-principles-to-power
Shaping trustworthy AI: Early insights from the Hiroshima AI Process Reporting Framework
(Karine Perset, James Gealy, Sara Fialho Esposito – OECD.AI – 11 June 2025) As artificial intelligence (AI) systems become increasingly integrated into our economies and societies, questions about their trustworthiness, safety, and societal impact have never been more pressing. To address these concerns, the Hiroshima AI Process (HAIP) was launched by G7 countries in 2023, culminating in a landmark international code of conduct for organisations developing advanced AI systems. To support the implementation of this code, the OECD worked with experts from government, business, academia, and civil society to design a voluntary reporting framework. This framework aims to promote transparency, foster peer learning, and align AI development with democratic values and shared global interests. It was piloted in mid-2024 and officially launched in February 2025 at the French AI Action Summit. In this blog post, we share preliminary insights from the first wave of organisational reports submitted through the HAIP framework. These findings offer a glimpse into how leading companies and institutions are addressing AI-related risks, promoting transparency, and aligning their systems with the public interest. – https://oecd.ai/en/wonk/haip-reporting-insights
What if Organizations Ran Themselves?
(AI Frontiers – 11 June 2025) One morning in the near future, on far-flung servers many miles from Wall Street, a new type of organization begins buying and selling stock. Its mission: maximize return on investment. It uses a network of AI agents integrated into global trading platforms to buy and sell stock in milliseconds — fast, adaptive, and unburdened by human fatigue. This is much more sophisticated than today’s algorithmic traders. These agents aren’t just executing trades based on preordained rules and thresholds. They’re operating autonomously: using analysis to identify new markets, acquiring controlling interests in companies, and making complex strategic decisions typically left to human traders. By noon, the AI organization owns significant stakes in a dozen firms. It begins using its insider knowledge to front-run trades — an illegal practice similar to insider trading. But there’s another twist: thanks to distributed blockchain technology, this organization’s human owners are completely anonymous. Authorities are unable to identify accountable individuals, and by the time they attempt to intervene, the AI organization has already influenced confidence in the regulator’s ability to stabilize the market. This scenario may sound speculative, but such AI-enabled Autonomous Organizations (AAOs) are closer to reality than many people assume. While humans may initially build and deploy these organizations, they will be run largely or entirely by artificial intelligence — capable of acting in pursuit of goals, adapting to their environment, and coordinating action at scale, with limited or no direct human oversight. Their human initiators will sit behind the scenes, their identities opaque and insulated from any misdeeds. Eventually, the inception of an AAO itself may occur without human involvement at all, the result of autonomous action from a sufficiently resourced AI. Whether embedded in a legal corporation, deployed on decentralized infrastructure, or emerging from swarms of interlinked agents, the rise of autonomous organizations raises a fundamental question: How do we govern and regulate institutions that act autonomously, continuously evolve, and operate without regard to jurisdictional boundaries? – https://aifrontiersmedia.substack.com/p/what-if-organizations-ran-themselves
University of Leicester Gets £1 Million UK Grant to Develop AI Tool for Amazonian Biodiversity Work
(AI Insider – 11 June 2025) Traditional Amazonian communities will use an AI-driven digital toolkit to monitor biodiversity and assert control over local ecological knowledge, under a new research initiative led by the University of Leicester and supported by UKRI. The C950,000 project aims to train residents of nine communities across three Brazilian states to catalogue their traditional knowledge of flora, fauna, and ecosystems, and link this information to scientific biodiversity databases for conservation and market access. The initiative, part of the UKRI-CNPq Amazon+10 programme, will enable traditional communities to participate in policymaking and bioeconomy development while preserving socio-biodiversity amid increasing environmental threats to the Amazon rainforest. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/06/11/university-of-leicester-gets-1-million-uk-grant-to-develop-ai-tool-for-amazonian-biodiversity-work/
Ohio State Will Require ‘AI Fluency’ of All Students
(AI Insider – 11 June 2025) The Ohio State University will embed artificial intelligence into its undergraduate curriculum starting in fall 2025, making AI literacy a graduation requirement for all students by 2029. Backed by the university’s Education for Citizenship 2035 strategic plan, the “AI Fluency” initiative introduces foundational AI concepts through core seminars, open-access courses, and experiential learning across all disciplines. The program will also prepare faculty for evolving teaching and assessment models, expand AI integration into graduate and professional programs, and leverage institutional units such as the Center for Software Innovation to develop field-specific content. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/06/11/ohio-state-will-require-ai-fluency-of-all-students/
Security, Defense, Warfare, and Intelligence
NATO releases new Science & Technology Strategy
(NATO – 11 June 2025) On Thursday (5 June 2025), NATO Defence Ministers endorsed the new NATO Science and Technology (S&T) Strategy. In support of NATO’s 2022 Strategic Concept, the Strategy positions S&T as a central pillar for preserving NATO’s military and technological edge. – https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/news_236107.htm
Swedish fighter jet autonomously flies real combat mission using onboard AI
(Interesting Engineering – 11 June 2025) In a bold step toward the future of air combat, Saab’s Gripen E fighter jet has completed its first test flights with an AI agent in the cockpit, executing real-world combat maneuvers. Conducted under Saab’s Project Beyond, the flights saw the AI system, called Centaur, take control of the jet and carry out Beyond Visual Range (BVR) missions. The first flight took place on May 28, with two more conducted in early June — marking a breakthrough in the push to integrate autonomous systems into frontline fighters. – https://interestingengineering.com/military/gripen-e-ai-first-combat-flight-saab-helsing
Frontiers
FDA Launches Generative AI to Streamline Operations
(AI Insider – 11 June 2025) The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has launched Elsa, a generative AI tool designed to streamline internal operations and assist staff with reading, summarizing, writing, and coding tasks. Deployed ahead of schedule and under budget, Elsa was developed within a secure GovCloud environment and does not train on proprietary industry data, instead leveraging internal agency documents. Elsa is already helping accelerate clinical protocol reviews, scientific evaluations, and inspection targeting, with future plans for expanded use cases across the FDA’s regulatory workflows. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/06/11/fda-launches-generative-ai-to-streamline-operations/
SEEQC Announces Collaboration With IBM Under DARPA’s Quantum Benchmarking Initiative
(Quantum Insider – 11 June 2025) SEEQC and IBM have announced a strategic technical collaboration under DARPA’s Quantum Benchmarking Initiative to advance scalable, energy-efficient quantum computing. The partnership will integrate SEEQC’s Single Flux Quantum (SFQ) chip-based control technology with IBM’s quantum systems architecture to reduce energy use and consolidate classical control hardware. Both companies, anchored in New York State’s growing quantum ecosystem, aim to accelerate the development of large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum systems aligned with IBM’s 2029 roadmap. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/06/11/seeqc-announces-collaboration-with-ibm-under-darpas-quantum-benchmarking-initiative/
Sensitive skin can enable robots to detect information about surroundings like humans
(Interesting Engineering – 11 June 2025) A highly sensitive skin that can be added to robotic hands like a glove has been developed by U.K. researchers. The low-cost, durable skin can enable robots to detect information about their surroundings in a way that’s similar to humans. The flexible, conductive skin, is easy to fabricate and can be melted down and formed into a wide range of complex shapes. Developed by researchers from the University of Cambridge and University College London (UCL), the latest technology senses and processes a range of physical inputs, allowing robots to interact with the physical world in a more meaningful way. – https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/electronic-skin-give-robot-human-touch
Stanford’s New AI Agent Could Serve as ‘Junior Scientist’ to Explore Potential Cures And Treatments
(AI Insider – 11 June 2025) Stanford researchers have developed CellVoyager, an AI agent that autonomously analyzes biological datasets and outperforms top AI models in generating scientifically valid hypotheses. The system uses large language models and live coding environments to design, execute, and revise experiments without human prompts, achieving a 20% accuracy boost over GPT-4o in benchmark tests. CellVoyager revealed novel findings in case studies on COVID-19, brain aging, and the menstrual cycle, and may help scale reanalysis of existing datasets where human resources are limited. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/06/11/stanfords-new-ai-agent-could-serve-as-junior-scientist-to-explore-potential-cures-and-treatments/
University of Tokyo Study Shows AI Can Close Skill Gaps
(AI Insider – 11 June 2025) A University of Tokyo case study found that an AI app predicting customer demand boosted productivity by 7% for less-experienced taxi drivers in Yokohama, Japan, narrowing skill gaps. The research suggests AI can act as a “deskilling” technology, benefiting low-skilled workers more than high-skilled ones, challenging trends that widen inequality. Despite its benefits, many less-skilled drivers avoided using the AI app, highlighting a reluctance to adopt new technology that could impact broader workforce adoption. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/06/11/university-of-tokyo-study-shows-ai-can-close-skill-gaps/
Sussex Researchers’ Ability to Detect Tiny Electric Fields 100-times More Effectively Could Boost Quantum Computing And Beyond
(Quantum Insider – 11 June 2025) Quantum researchers at the University of Sussex have developed the world’s most sensitive method for detecting electric fields, improving previous benchmarks by a factor of 100. The technique uses a single charged atom in a superposition state to detect low-frequency electric fields, with potential applications in brain imaging, defense, communications, and geological exploration. Originally created to identify and eliminate noise in quantum computers, the technology could eventually enable breakthroughs in mental health treatments, epilepsy monitoring, and next-generation quantum sensors. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/06/11/sussex-researchers-ability-to-detect-tiny-electric-fields-100-times-more-effectively-could-boost-quantum-computing-and-beyond/
Oxford Physicists Set New World Record For Qubit Operation Accuracy
(Quantum Insider – 11 June 2025) Physicists at the University of Oxford achieved the lowest-ever error rate for a quantum logic gate—just 0.000015%, or one error in 6.7 million operations—marking a new global benchmark in qubit control. The record was set using a trapped calcium ion qubit controlled by microwave signals, offering greater stability and cost-efficiency than traditional laser-based methods. While single-qubit precision has reached unprecedented levels, two-qubit gate errors remain significantly higher and present the next challenge for building fully fault-tolerant quantum computers. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/06/11/oxford-physicists-set-new-world-record-for-qubit-operation-accuracy/
ORCA Computing Delivers First Photonic Quantum Computing System to UK’s National Quantum Computing Centre
(Quantum Insider – 11 June 2025) ORCA Computing has delivered and installed the UK’s first public-sector photonic quantum computing system at the National Quantum Computing Centre (NQCC), fulfilling a key commitment under the UK’s Quantum Computing Testbeds program. The PT Series system was installed and operational within 36 hours, enabling early-stage research into hybrid quantum-classical workflows and practical quantum applications across multiple sectors. The installation supports the UK’s £121 million quantum strategy and will be evaluated through collaborative R&D projects, including benchmarking and use by the University of Edinburgh’s Quantum Software Lab. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/06/11/orca-computing-delivers-first-photonic-quantum-computing-system-to-uks-national-quantum-computing-centre/
Orange Business, Toshiba Partner to Launch Commercial Quantum-safe Network Service in France
(Quantum Insider – 11 June 2025) Orange Business and Toshiba Europe have launched Orange Quantum Defender, the first commercial quantum-safe networking service in Paris, combining Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) and Post Quantum Cryptography (PQC). The service is already securing critical data for a major French financial services firm, highlighting its readiness for industries facing quantum-era cybersecurity threats. Built on Orange’s existing fibre network, the system provides multi-layered encryption and aligns with France’s national quantum strategy to protect sensitive data from future quantum decryption risks. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/06/11/orange-business-toshiba-partner-to-launch-commercial-quantum-safe-network-service-in-france/
Q-CTRL Expands Presence in India with Four New Collaborations
(Quantum Insider – 11 June 2025) Q-CTRL is expanding access to its Black Opal quantum education platform in India through partnerships with ELTECH Consulting, Kquanta Research, Quantum Biosciences and Uttkrist. The move follows a successful pilot in Tamil Nadu, where 83% of nearly 3,000 students completed the program, and aligns with national education goals set by AICTE. These partnerships aim to strengthen India’s quantum workforce pipeline and support inclusive growth by equipping students, professionals, and educators with accessible quantum training tools. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/06/11/q-ctrl-expands-presence-in-india-with-four-new-collaborations/
Alice & Bob Improves Quantum Simulation With New Software Integration
(Quantum Insider – 11 June 2025) Alice & Bob has integrated its open-source quantum simulation library Dynamiqs with NVIDIA’s CUDA-Q platform, achieving up to 75x speed improvements in simulating time-dependent quantum systems.Dynamiqs leverages GPU-accelerated computing to model complex and evolving quantum processors, enabling faster and larger-scale simulations critical to QPU development. The collaboration with NVIDIA includes optimized APIs and adds advanced features like automatic differentiation for tasks such as quantum control and state tomography. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/06/11/alice-bob-improves-quantum-simulation-with-new-software-integration/
IBM sets 2029 target for quantum breakthrough
(DigWatch – 11 June 2025) IBM has set out a detailed roadmap to deliver a practical quantum computer by 2029, marking a major milestone in its long-term strategy. The company plans to build its ‘Starling’ quantum system at a new data centre in Poughkeepsie, New York, targeting around 200 logical qubits—enough to begin outperforming classical computers in specific tasks instead of lagging due to error correction limitations. – https://dig.watch/updates/ibm-sets-2029-target-for-quantum-breakthrough
Apple study finds AI fails on complex tasks
(DigWatch – 11 June 2025) A recent study by Apple researchers exposed significant limitations in the capabilities of advanced AI systems and huge reasoning models (LRMs). Apple’s team suggested this may point to a fundamental limit in how current AI models scale up to general reasoning. – https://dig.watch/updates/apple-study-finds-ai-fails-on-complex-tasks
OpenAI releases o3-pro: Smarter, sharper, more capable version for AI reasoning
(Interesting Engineering – 11 June 2025) The battle between Large Language Models for acquiring users is heating up day by day, with all companies coming up with newer and better versions for their LLMs. OpenAI, regarded as one of the pioneers in this space, has recently launched the o3-pro, claiming that it’s their most capable version for research till date. It’s predecessor, o3, was launched by the company last year. – https://interestingengineering.com/culture/openai-o3-pro-reasoning-model
Meta’s new V-JEPA 2 AI helps robots predict and plan using nothing but raw video data
(Interesting Engineering – 11 June 2025) Meta has unveiled V-JEPA 2, an advanced AI model designed to help machines understand and predict physical interactions in the real world. Trained entirely on video data, V-JEPA 2 improves how robots and AI agents process cause-and-effect logic, allowing them to think before they act. The company sees this as a critical step toward building artificial general intelligence, a direction widely seen as essential for developing truly thinking AI systems. – https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/meta-vjepa2-ai-world-model
Meta races to build ‘superintelligent’ AI as Zuckerberg takes charge
(Interesting Engineering – 11 June 2025) Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is now taking personal control of a bold and secretive mission: building a superintelligent AI that could outperform human capabilities. According to a Bloomberg report, Zuckerberg is forming a handpicked team to pursue this ambitious vision, signaling his growing frustration with Meta’s recent AI progress. He has reportedly hosted a series of in-depth meetings with top AI experts at his private homes in Lake Tahoe and Palo Alto, California. While Meta has declined to comment, sources suggest that the CEO’s involvement marks a new phase in Meta’s push to compete with leading players like OpenAI. – https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/zuckerberg-assembling-team-to-build-superintelligence
Tesla ‘tentatively’ plans robotaxi launch in Austin on June 22, says Elon Musk
(Interesting Engineering – 11 June 2025) Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced that the company is “tentatively” preparing to launch its long-awaited robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, on June 22. The date, however, isn’t set in stone. In a post on X, Musk said Tesla is “being super paranoid about safety,” and the rollout could be delayed depending on final safety checks. This announcement comes after months of speculation by investors and industry analysts who have been waiting for Tesla to make a serious move into the autonomous vehicle (AV) market. Earlier this year, Musk confirmed that the service would begin operations in June, with Austin as the first city. – https://interestingengineering.com/transportation/elon-musk-tesla-robotaxi-launch